


Exhaustion

by Blackghost7



Category: NCIS
Genre: First Time, Getting Together, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-17
Updated: 2014-12-17
Packaged: 2018-03-01 23:37:19
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,783
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2791856
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Blackghost7/pseuds/Blackghost7
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Our guys are exhausted, and it seems especially Tony just can't help telling the truth for once.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Exhaustion

Gibbs slumped in silence in the recliner in his living room, the only movement the occasional bringing up of his hand holding his coffee mug to his mouth for a sip, then back to rest on the arm of the recliner again. The coffee had long since been replaced with bourbon, the half empty bottle next to the chair on the ground. The only illumination was the flickering light of the fire in the fireplace, which he quietly got up to feed some more wood from time to time, in order to keep the low light and more importantly the warmth going. It was late Friday night, or actually early Saturday morning, and it was the start of a well deserved four day weekend for his team, after back to back cases for several weeks now.  
   
He was exhausted, as he knew his team were, and he had not had to order Ziva and McGee to get some rest. As soon as he gave them the news of their extra days off and told them to go home, all they could talk about was that they were going to sleep, sleep and then sleep some more. Tony had not said a word, just stayed at his desk gazing at his computer, but Gibbs was sure the younger man wasn’t really seeing anything. Tony had dark circles under his eyes, and lines of exhaustion creased his face, his shoulders were hunched over. Tony had slept even less than Gibbs over the past couple of weeks.  
   
The other two already gone, Gibbs stepped up to his senior agent’s desk, only drawing his attention at the second time he called his name. Tony looked up at Gibbs with glassy eyes and at Gibbs’ command to go home, nearly fell over from exhaustion when he tried to stand up. So Gibbs had grabbed their bags and coats, slung an arm around his agent’s waist and huddled him over to the elevator, to the garage and into his car. Tony had slumped in the seat while Gibbs’ drove them home, and Gibbs had helped him out of the car and into Gibbs’ house, then up the stairs to the bathroom, where he turned on the shower to warm up. Tony was shivering with cold from the exhaustion, and Gibbs wanted him to feel warmer, so he got the younger man under the hot spray. He kept a close ear on the sounds from the bathroom while he put their bags away in the bedroom and changed into sweats and a comfortable long sleeved shirt, pulling on a t-shirt over it after a thought for the extra warmth. Not that it was cold in the house, but he was bone tired and it was messing with his body temperature. He quickly went downstairs and set a pot of coffee brewing.  
   
Taking some socks, sweats, a t-shirt and his trusty Ohio State hoody out of Tony’s go-bag, he moved back into the bathroom. Tony was still standing under the hot spray, but only barely, back pressed against the wall to help keep him up, his eyes closed and head hanging down. Gibbs turned off the water and coaxed Tony out of the shower, wrapping him in a large soft towel and, when Tony didn’t move, started drying the younger man off. Tony was completely out of it, and seemed to not even realize that he was standing completely naked in his boss’ bathroom with the man toweling him dry as if he were a child. Gibbs got him into his sweats, t-shirt and hoody, then had him sit down on the lid of the toilet, dried his feet and pulled on his socks. Tony was still shivering despite the hot shower, so Gibbs decided to take him back downstairs where he could light a fire for extra warmth. He settled Tony on the couch, poured him a mug of coffee with a good shot of bourbon mixed in, and gratefully watched as the younger man started sipping the hot alcoholic mixture, warming him from the inside. Then Gibbs built a good fire and settled in the recliner across from Tony. When Tony’s mug was empty, Gibbs took it from his hand and put it on the coffee table, pushing the younger man down to lie on the couch, pillow under his head, and Gibbs said a single word: “Sleep.” Tony gave a little smile, closed his eyes and was gone.  
   
Gibbs settled back in the recliner with a second mug of coffee, bourbon added, and just watched Tony as the younger man slept. Tony had rolled onto his side, crossed his arms over his chest and pulled in his legs, curling up into a ball almost. At least the shivering had stopped, the coffee with bourbon and the fire blazing in the fireplace having done their jobs of warming him up. Gibbs had expected that he would drop off to sleep himself soon too, but his thoughts kept him awake. He worried about Tony, not just because of the exhaustion caused by these last weeks, but in general. Tony had been quiet and introspective for months now, and while he had settled and grown up over the past few years, this was another extreme altogether. And Gibbs did not like it when Tony went into extremes, because it meant that his masks were slipping. Not many, not even Ziva and McGee, saw through the camouflage Tony put up to keep people from seeing the real him, but Gibbs always had. So when the masks started to come down, Gibbs worried. He had been hoping that Tony would come speak to him, as he had in past years, joining him in the basement and talking about everything and nothing until the thing that bothered him came out. But Tony had not been to his basement much anymore lately, and Gibbs admitted that it was partially his fault. There had been some strain in their relationship in recent times, and Gibbs knew he should have reassured the younger man that he was still, would always be welcome, that he did not need an excuse to come by.  
   
Taking another sip and resting his head back against the recliner, Gibbs took in every inch of the precious form resting on his couch. And he really did mean precious. Tony was his best kept secret. Over the years, Gibbs’ other secrets had come out, Shannon and Kelly, his revenge on their murderer to name but a few. But other people had been in the know about those, precious few, but still. No one knew about Tony. For eleven years, ever since Gibbs hired him, before Vivian Blackadder and Cait, Gibbs had hidden his attraction to the handsome, exuberant young man, instead riding him hard to push him to be even better than he already was, to become the best. And Tony had. Gibbs was so proud of the agent, the man Tony had become, and had loved him more and more with every year that passed. And no one knew. Not even Tony. And now Gibbs was wondering whether it was time for this secret to come out as well. He was tired of hiding.  
   
Thinking back to earlier that evening, when he had taken Tony out of the shower and dried him off, he had had to fight with every fiber of his being not to give himself away. He had managed to keep his movements methodical and almost clinical, resisting the urges to run his fingers and lips over the skin that he was toweling off. He couldn’t stop his eyes from roaming though, and was grateful that Tony had had his eyes closed so Gibbs would not be caught leering at the man. He had relished the feel of the strong muscles under the skin, even with a towel between his fingers and that gorgeous body he had wanted for so long, had been drinking in the sight of the firm butt and the beautiful dick on display. It was a shame to cover Tony up in sweats, when all he really wanted to do was cover him with his own body, warming him up in other ways, bringing him to a boneless heap of pleasure with his mouth and tongue, his fingers and his cock. But he had restrained himself. Now he was wondering if he could keep that up any longer.  
   
Getting up to put another couple of logs on the fire, Gibbs walked past the couch and the sleeping form on it. Unable to resist, he gently ran his fingers through the soft, damp hair, softly brushed the backs of his fingers over the stubbled cheek, then leaned down to place a delicate kiss on the side of Tony’s eyebrow. He smiled when the younger man seemed to relax into his sleep further at the gesture, then went to tend to the fire. Settling back into the recliner, fresh mug of bourbon in hand, Gibbs continued watching the object of his affections. Occasionally he dozed off for a while, but the rare opportunity to drink in Tony’s form and the protective feelings for his exhausted agent kept taking him back to consciousness in time to feed the fire in both the fireplace and his heart.  
   
~~~~~  
   
Tony woke up slowly the next morning to sunlight streaming in through the windows, and quickly recognized Gibbs’ living room. He was still on the couch, warm and feeling better than he had in weeks, rested a little bit from the exhaustion that had overtaken him the previous evening. Looking around, he saw Gibbs in the recliner, eyes closed and mug dangling from his fingers, clearly asleep. Noticing the fire still going strong, he realized Gibbs must have gotten up periodically to keep putting more logs on. He saw the half empty bourbon bottle next to Gibbs’ chair and smiled when he remembered the taste of the coffee his boss had brought him the night before. He had not even registered at the time that Gibbs had doctored his coffee with the booze, but he was grateful for it. It had relaxed him enough to fall into a deep and restful sleep almost immediately. He had slept through the night, waking only once when he felt the ghost of fingers through his hair and across his cheek, and the brush of lips on his temple. He smiled at the memory.  
   
Stretching his limbs and groaning softly at the strain of his muscles, the twinge in his back from lying on the couch for so long, he sighed, then quietly got up. Taking a quick detour to the bathroom, he made his way to the kitchen and started fixing a new pot of coffee, then checked the fridge for something to eat. He kept his movements and rummaging as quiet as possible, not wanting to wake the man in the other room. Gibbs deserved his rest, having taken care of him so gently the night before. He remembered almost falling over when he tried to get up from his desk, Gibbs supporting him, carrying their bags and things, Gibbs driving them to his home. Then helping Tony inside and upstairs, running a shower for him and getting him his clothes. As he remembered Gibbs drying him off and dressing him as if he were a child, he felt a blush creep up his cheeks and neck, but a soft smile accompanied it. It was the clearest sign of the complete trust he had in the man that Tony was okay with that. Honesty made him admit to himself that he was more than okay with it, secretly he loved it, loved that Gibbs cared for him so much that he would take care of Tony like that.  
   
That thought brought him to another, and he quietly walked back to the living room, leaning against the door jamb and looking at his sleeping boss. He took in the relaxed features of his face, the sleep mussed silver hair, the body sprawled out in the recliner. Gazing at the slumbering form of his boss, Tony thought back to a few months ago when he had had his realization.  
   
He had just broken up with another girlfriend - well, a girl he had been dating for three months – and had gone for a walk to get his head on straight and do some serious thinking. She had seemed perfect for him, smart and funny, fiery and independent, and he had enjoyed her company very much. But after a couple of dates, when he had had to cancel twice already because of work, she had started getting snippy with him over his job. It wasn’t long before he was already tired of it, and so he had broken it off with her before they would get into a serious argument and end it badly. While walking, he contemplated all his relationships and their reasons for ending. It did not paint a pretty picture. His devotion to his job had been a big part of most of his break-ups. He started feeling a little sorry for himself, because he knew that if he had to choose between his job and a woman, the job would always win out. He was starting to fear that he would never find the one he could share the rest of his life with, and just when he felt he was ready to settle down and commit to someone, to the right one.  
   
That thought started him thinking of what the right one would be like. It had to be someone who would accept his love for his job, and the hours it brought with it. Someone who would not get angry with him for cancelled dates or long nights and weekends spent at the office. Someone who he could trust to accept him for who he really was, not the image he projected to the world. In short, someone he could trust. He considered all the women he had been involved with, and realized that none of them had ever fit the picture, not even EJ and she had at least understood about the job. But he had never trusted her enough to see behind the masks. Had he ever trusted anyone enough for that?  
   
He knew that not even his team, who truly were like family to him, was trusted enough to let them see all of him, the real him. He was very close with Abby, she was like his little sister, and Tim was almost like a younger brother to him, Ziva the hot cousin you had confusing feelings for, Ducky the eccentric uncle always there for advice and assurance and Jimmy the weird nephew who made you laugh and was there for you when you needed him. But he had never even considered letting them in completely. He trusted them with his life, but not with his self. There was only one person he had ever trusted like that. Gibbs.  
   
His boss was the only one he had ever let see behind the masks Tony showed the world. Well, not so much let him, Gibbs had just simply seen through them from the start, and still kept him around. He thought back to evenings spent in the man’s basement, always coming away from there feeling better, whether he had actually talked about what was bothering him or not. Evenings when he let his masks slip and his insecurities show, and still Gibbs treated him with respect and care if you saw through the gruff demeanor and head slaps. Evenings when he was drunk and crying over past hurts more than the horrors they had faced that day, which were the catalyst for such a night but not the real reason for him breaking down, and Gibbs would soothe him, help him upstairs and put him to bed, and in the morning made it clear without words that the man was there if Tony needed to talk, but never pushing, never holding it against him.  
   
Gibbs also understood about the job, and Tony’s devotion to it. After all, Gibbs was the same. But that brought Tony to thinking about why he loved this particular job so much. He had drifted from city to city in his cop-days, never staying anywhere longer than a year or two, and that had seemed long enough for him, even though he had felt at home in those precincts. So why was NCIS so special that he had already been there for eleven years and never even thought of moving on? And when he was offered his own team, he had turned it down without much hesitation. He already knew the answer though, it was because of Gibbs. He loved his job because he loved working with Gibbs. He had turned down his own team because he loved Gibbs. Woah! He loved Gibbs? Admitting the truth to himself was actually easier than he would have thought. Yes, he loved Gibbs.  
   
Looking at things from that perspective, Gibbs was actually perfect for Tony. The older man was everything he was looking for in a relationship, if only he had been a woman. That thought had made Tony snort to himself with laughter. Sobering quickly though, he realized he already was in a relationship with Gibbs. They took care of each other in ways neither shared with the rest of the team, and had for years. Gibbs was actually the most steady relationship Tony had ever been in. A quick flash of the two of them, old and wrinkled, helping each other up the stairs of the basement after spending an evening down there working on whatever project together, made him laugh again. Then it made him feel warm and safe. He felt he could spend the rest of his life with Gibbs and be happy.  
   
But if he were to spend his life with Gibbs, then what about the physical part of a relationship? Tony had never been with a man, never kissed a man, never even been attracted to a man. And this was not just any man he was thinking about, this was Gibbs. Then again, this was Gibbs. There had always been something about the man that drew Tony to him, as evidenced by his earlier revelation that he loved the man. His magnetic presence, his ability to dominate a room with a single glance, Tony had always found it a pleasure to watch and admired it. The overwhelming force of his personality that many could not withstand for long. But Tony could, and he had for years. He was not cowed by Gibbs, he fought against him when he knew it was right. Maybe it was not about gay or straight, maybe it was about the person.  
   
The next couple of weeks, Tony surreptitiously studied his boss every opportunity he got. Watched the expressions on his face, the play of his muscles under his clothes, the way he carried himself with pride and honor. And then one day, when Tony was eyeing Gibbs during an interview and saw the man break out into a smile. Tony’s breath caught in his throat and he felt his view shift. He recognized the pang he had felt in his chest as the smile appeared as something he had experienced before, in fact, every time he saw that smile on the man’s face. And he realized that that was why he worked so hard to put it there. Nothing made him feel better than to be the reason for that smile. Understanding dawned on him that he actually was attracted to Gibbs, and apparently had been for a while. And the first time that he woke up with a hard on from a dream in which he had been making out with Gibbs, he knew he was in trouble.  
   
Normally when something was bothering him, Tony would make his way to Gibbs’ basement and talk about it or talk around it until he felt better. But since what was troubling him now was Gibbs himself, that option was off the table. He debated talking to someone else, but there was that trust issue again. He just couldn’t imagine speaking about this with any member of his team, his family, especially not because it concerned Gibbs. He could try to keep it vague, but they would want to know how he came to this startling realization that he was attracted to a man, and he would never hear the end of it until they had found out who the man was. So he muddled on, trying to figure it out for himself. He became quieter and introspective, particularly around Gibbs, afraid that he would give something away. With his attention so focused on Gibbs, Tony noticed the man eyeing him more and more, and not always in concern. Sometimes he felt there was something else behind the intense looks his boss gave him when he thought Tony wouldn’t notice. And when weeks turned into months, Tony began to feel a resolve, and a spark of hope that it would be alright.  
   
Standing here now, watching the man he realized he could and wanted to spend the rest of his life with, who had taken care of him and looked after him not just last night but for years, Tony took his decision. He would show Gibbs what it could be like, what they could have together. And hopefully, Gibbs wouldn’t kill him for it.  
   
Returning to the kitchen, Tony gathered what he needed from the fridge and cupboards and started preparing breakfast. When the table was set and breakfast laid out, Tony poured two cups of coffee and took one over to the living room. Waving the coffee back and forth in front of Gibbs’ face, he smiled when he saw the older man’s nose start to twitch at the smell. Laying his hand on his boss’ shoulder, Tony gently shook him awake and told him breakfast was ready. Gibbs stretched and yawned, then followed to the kitchen.  
   
Tony had prepared a veritable feast as far as Gibbs was concerned, and both ate heartily, replenishing the coffee whenever it ran out. Stomachs full and hunger satisfied after weeks of junk food consumed at their desks and in the field, the homemade meal felt like balm to Gibbs’ soul. Looking at Tony in appreciation, Gibbs knew how to get the full extent of his gratitude across with just three simple words, spoken softly and heartfelt: “Thank you, Tony.”  
The tone and intensity made Tony smile and he looked back at the older man with sparkling eyes, before he turned serious and responded sincerely: “No, thank you, Jethro.”  
   
The use of his given name instead of Tony’s usual “Boss” or “Gibbs” surprised Gibbs, and he studied the younger man for a moment before he realized the meaning behind the words. A small smile quirking his lips in acceptance of the thanks, Gibbs got up and walked over to the counter for more coffee, gently brushing his hand over Tony’s head in acknowledgement when he passed him. Tony recalled feeling the same soft stroke of fingers through his hair the previous evening, and felt hopeful. When Gibbs returned to the table, he told Tony to get back to the living room while Gibbs cleared the remains of the breakfast. Getting another cup of coffee for himself, Tony stopped at Gibbs’ side for a moment and quickly pressed his lips to Gibbs cheek before moving out of the kitchen. Gibbs stared after the younger man until he disappeared from sight, his mind reeling at the unexpected gesture, then shook his head and figured he would find out what that was all about later.  
   
Kitchen cleared, Gibbs joined Tony in the living room where he was pleased to note that the younger man had tended to the fire, stoking it up again. He sat down next to Tony on the couch and wordlessly handed him the remote, Tony quickly finding a movie he liked and glancing over at Gibbs for his approval. The older man just sipped his coffee and kept his eyes on the screen, which Tony took to mean it was fine. They watched in silence for close to an hour before Tony noticed that Gibbs had fallen asleep and was leaning back on the couch, listing a bit to Tony’s side. Smiling, Tony carefully put his arm around the older man, pulling him closer to him, and leaning back with him so Tony laid back against the armrest with Gibbs plastered against his chest. The silver haired man shifted a bit in his sleep to find a comfortable position and wrapped his arms around the warm chest his cheek was now resting on. Content and smiling, Tony watched the man he cherished resting peacefully against him for a while, then followed him into sleep.  
   
Gibbs woke up a couple of hours later, feeling refreshed and warm and content. Breathing in deeply, he took in the scent of the man he was holding, and who, he was pleased to note, was holding him in return. The deep and even breathing of the chest beneath his cheek told him that Tony was asleep, so he carefully lifted up his head and looked at the younger man. Studying the beloved features, Gibbs wanted more than anything to press his lips against Tony’s, coaxing them open and tasting him, but he contained himself. Gently extracting himself from Tony’s hold and managing to untangle their legs, Gibbs got up without waking the younger man, and quietly tended to the fire that had almost burned out, not having been fed while they had both been asleep. That chore done, Gibbs stood and stared at Tony for a moment, again wondering about the kiss on his cheek, smiling at the memory, then made quick trip to the bathroom. Moving to the kitchen, he decided to grab himself a beer. It was still early, but he figured he deserved it after the hellish weeks they had just endured. Just as he uncapped the bottle, Tony walked into the kitchen, stretching his arms above his head, his shirts rising with the movement and exposing an enticing strip of naked belly to Gibbs’ gaze.  
   
“Can I have one of those too?” Tony asked.  
“Sure,’ Gibbs replied, handing him the beer and getting another one for himself.  
   
Beers in hand, they returned to the living room and sat down to watch the next movie that had already started playing. They sat close together, and Tony debated only a moment with himself before stretching his arm out over the back of the couch. Gibbs gave a soft grin at that, which turned into a shiver when Tony’s hand came up to softly caress the back of Gibbs’ head. Tony froze for a second at the shiver, then repeated the move. Getting the same response, he continued his soft caresses as they watched the movie. When their beers were done, Gibbs got up to get them each another one. Tony was disappointed that Gibbs moved away, but this was more than made up for when the man returned, handed him a beer and settled back on the couch even closer to Tony than before. Then Gibbs took the arm Tony had lowered back to his lap when Gibbs had gotten up and draped it back across his own neck, shifting a bit so he could lean against the younger man, pulling Tony’s hand down to his chest and holding it there. Tony sighed in contentment and they remained like that for the rest of the movie, even though neither was paying any attention to it, each lost in their own thoughts.  
   
When the movie was done, it was Tony who moved to take the remote and shut off the television, the got up and got more beers. When he sat back down, he put a little more distance between himself and Gibbs. Accepting the beer and raising a questioning eyebrow, Gibbs looked at the younger man. After a couple of sips, Tony began.  
   
“Gibbs.. Jethro, I need to tell you something.”  
“Oh?”  
“It may sound a little weird, but please hear me out.”  
A nod was his only response.  
Taking a deep breath, Tony took the plunge.  
“I think you may be the one I’m supposed to spend the rest of my life with. I know it’s probably a bit of a shock to hear me say that, but I’ve been thinking about a lot of things these past couple of months and I just had this epiphany that what I have with you is the best relationship I have ever had and I never want it to end. You’re the only one I trust completely and who makes me feel safe and cared for, and understood. I’ve always admired you and loved you. I’ve always wanted to please you and make you proud of me, to make you approve of me and want me around. I don’t really understand it, but I think I’m in love you.”  
   
Tony kept his eyes glued to the beer bottle in his hands and held his breath waiting for the reaction. He thought he was prepared for anything - laughter, anger, disgust, confusion - but the gentle hand that cupped his chin to make him look up into the piercing blue gaze still startled him. Forced to look the man he’d just spilled his heart to in the eyes, Tony shivered at what he saw there. The raw and gruff: “Tony…” that Gibbs nearly moaned at him, intensified the shivering, recognizing it as pleasure. Leaning forward a little, Gibbs pressed his lips against Tony’s, a featherlight caress only a brief moment long, before he pulled back and spoke.  
   
“I love you, Tony. For a long time. Forever.”  
“Forever?” Tony asked.  
“Forever.” Gibbs confirmed.  
   
Then Tony blindly put down his beer and pulled his boss to him for a searing kiss, which Gibbs gentled after a few moments, nibbling on Tony’ lips and giving short licks of his tongue to coax those delicious lips apart. When Tony’s mouth opened, Gibbs softly invaded the wet heat he was given access to and stroked his tongue over Tony’s, tangling and swirling, exploring. One kiss turned to many and Tony moaned when Gibbs started running his hands over Tony’s body, caressing him wherever he could reach. Tony gave back as good as he got, out of his mind with pleasure and arousal, and from a simple kiss! He decided he liked the feel of a hard body against his, not missing the soft curves he was used to with women, in fact, finding the strong muscles he could feel flexing against him even more arousing. The slight beard stubble against his cheeks felt fantastic, and when Gibbs moved his lips down to Tony’s neck to start licking and sucking there, the rasp he felt against his skin was pure heaven. Tony couldn’t believe he had ever thought himself high on pleasure before now, nearly ecstatic at the sensations Gibbs was causing in him. When finally Gibbs pulled back a little, Tony whimpered at the loss of those lips on him. But when Gibbs looked him in the eyes and groaned out: “Let me love you, Tony,” all Tony could answer was: “Forever.”  
   
Gibbs stood and took Tony upstairs, where they almost reverently undressed each other in between kisses, caressing and stroking every inch of skin they exposed. Laying down on the bed, Gibbs explored Tony’s body with fingers and mouth, moving from his lips to his neck, then down to his chest where Gibbs paid detailed attention to his nipples, licking and sucking them, rolling them between his fingers until Tony was moaning and arching up into the older man’s touch. Stroking his hands over Tony’s sides, Gibbs slid down further, kissing his way down Tony’s belly until he could reach the hard dick he had been feeling poking against him the entire time. Admiring the shape and size of it, Gibbs licked all the way up it in a single stroke, before taking the head into his mouth and sucking gently, making Tony’s hips buck involuntarily at the sensation. When Gibbs started sucking in earnest and moved his fingers to play with the tight ring of muscle hidden between Tony's cheeks, the younger man tensed. Figuring he needed to take extra care of his soon to be lover, Gibbs reached for the lube and slicked his fingers thoroughly, before pressing one in. Tony writhed under Gibbs' ministrations, and was so lost in pleasure he felt he could do this. But when one finger turned to two and then three, Tony felt the burn and tensed up again. Even though he bucked off the mattress every time Gibbs hit his prostate, Tony wasn't sure he could take all of the older man into his body. Feeling the tensing, Gibbs looked up and saw the truth in Tony's eyes.

"Why didn't you tell me?" he asked gruffly.  
"I never want to disappoint you," Tony responded honestly.  
"Never disappoint me when you tell the truth, Tony," Gibbs replied. And Tony could see the truth in that statement.  
Starting to apologize, Tony was cut off when Gibbs reached up and started to kiss the younger man again. Then he pressed the lube into Tony's hand and told him to prepare him as he had been doing to the beautiful younger man before. Tony took this order seriously and drove Gibbs insane with his mouth and fingers before he pressed into the older man and reveled in the sounds emanating from Gibbs' throat. Tony proved he was a fast learner as always, bringing Gibbs to a fully satisfied release and spilling into him after the clenching of Gibbs' muscles took him over the edge. Having seen the older man soar when Tony took him just right, Tony was curious about the feeling and knew it wouldn't be long before he let Gibbs inside of him. Even further than beyond the masks he hid behind. But then, Gibbs had always seen through him anyway. 

Tony, seeing the thoroughly sated expression on Gibbs' face, softly asked the older man if he would wait for him and keep him forever still.

Blissed out and happier than he'd been since - as he had told Tony - forever, Gibbs just replied: "Rule 5, Tony. Seems like it was made for you. And this is better than I ever imagined." And then he curled up against the younger man, feeling better than he ever had, protected in the arms of his lover. Forever.  
   
 


End file.
